Trade between Nigeria and China reached 3.13 billion dollars in 2006, up from 1.1 billion dollars in 2001, according to the latest data from China’s commerce ministry.

Aside from oil deals with Nigeria, China has helped the country build railways and hydroelectric dams, while last year it launched a telecommunications satellite for the nation.

Chinese media last month also reported that state-controlled China Development Bank was in talks to buy a five-billion-dollar stake in Nigeria-based United Bank for Africa.

In Cameroon there were riots over fuel prices in the port city of Douala and around the country. In addition to fuel prices, many people were angry that:

(President) Biya announced eight weeks ago he might change the constitution to stay in power when his term ends in 2011. Critics say Biya, 75, could use his party’s majority in parliament to make the constitutional modifications.. . .“Biya has gone too far, he must go,” shouted one demonstrator in Yaounde.

Others chanted: “We’re fed up”.

The USS Fort McHenry, AFRICOM’s African Partnership Station, is in the neighborhood in Cameroon training and partnering with the Cameroonian military. This training could be just in time to help “stabilize” the situation in Cameroon. On whose behalf might potential “stability operations” be engaged?